Device for automatic closure of coin slot of rental locker

ABSTRACT

A rod received in a bore formed in the lock mechanism of a rental locked is pressed inwardly upon insertion of a key into a keyhole formed in the front panel of the locker, and a substantially crank-shaped lever is provided to convey this motion of the rod to a swingably mounted shutter, which then opens a coin slot formed in the front panel, the shutter being spring-energized to close the coin slot when the key is pulled out of the keyhole. In another embodiment of the invention, the shutter is made of magnetic material to be moved by an electromagnet which is connected to a switch operated by the aforesaid rod.

United States Patent [191 Kinoshita Feb. 19, 1974 [75] Inventor: Yoshio Kinoshita, Himeji, Japan [73] Assignee: Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Hyogo-ken, Japan 22 Filed: Sept. 15, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 289,277

Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg Assistant ExaminerThomas E. Kocovsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-I-Iolman & Stern [5 7 ABSTRACT A rod received in a bore formed in the lock mechanism of a rental locked is pressed inwardly upon insertion of a key into a keyhole formed in the front panel of the locker, and a substantially crank-shaped lever is provided to convey this motion of the rod to a swingably mounted shutter, which then opens a coin slot formed in the front panel, the shutter being springenergized to close the coin slot when the key is pulled out of the keyhole. In another embodiment of the invention, the shutter is made of magnetic material to be moved by an electromagnet which is connected to a switch operated by the aforesaid rod.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENIED FEB] 91974 SHEET 1 BF 2 PATENTEB FEB] 9 m4 sum 2 or 2 FIG. 5

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OF COIN SLOT OF RENTAL LOCKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a rental locker system of a type comprising a plurality of lockers or compartments each having a door which can be locked by a key upon insertion of a coin or coins into an adjacently formed slot, the key being then released to be carried by the user. More specifically, the invention is directed to a device for automatically closing the slot when the key is pulled out of its keyhole.

Heretofore, in rental locker systems of this type, the coin slots have usually been left open both during use and disuse of the lockers. It has been possible, therefore, for a user to erroneously insert a coin into the slot of an already occupied locker, eventually giving rise to trouble or malfunction of the lock mechanism, coin counter, and the like. I am aware that there is already proposed a device for automatically closing the coin slot when the door is locked and opening the same when the door is unlocked. However, this prior art device is unapplicable to a recently developed rental locker system in which an additional coin or coins must be inserted into the slot before unlocking the door in event the locker has been occupied in excess of a predetermined length of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel device for keeping the coin slot of a rental locker closed while the same is occupied.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to, which is extremely simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and positive in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to whereby the coin slot of a rental locker is kept open as long as a key is inserted into its keyhole and is automatically closed when the key is pulled out of the keyhole.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to, which is particularly suitable for a rental locker system in which an additional coin or coins must be inserted into the coin slot before unlocking the locker door if the locker has been occupied in excess of a predetermined length of time.

According to the present invention, briefly summarized, there is provided the improvement in a rental locker of the type having a door which can be locked by a key upon insertion of a coin into a slot, which key is released when the door has been locked, said improvement comprising a shutter mounted swingably and energized in a direction to close the slot, and linkage means extending between the shutter and a lock mechanism of the rental locker, the said linkage means being adapted for maintaining the shutter away from the slot when the key is inserted into the lock mechanism and for permitting the shutter to close the slot when the key is pulled out of the lock mechanism.

The novel features which are considered as being characteristic of this invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of rental locker system to which the device of the present invention is applicable;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the essential parts of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view,with parts cut away, showing the essential parts of another preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an electrical circuit incorporated in the device of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of the electrical circuit of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An example of a rental locker system to which the concepts of this invention are applicable will first be described with reference to FIG. 1 merely by way of illustration and explanation of the invention. As illustrated, the exemplified rental locker system 10 has a plurality of compartments or lockers in vertical arrangement, each of the lockers having a door 1 1 hinged or otherwise openably connected to its front end. On one side of each door 11 there is provided a front panel 12 having a coin slot 13, a keyhole 14-and so forth.

The door can be locked by turning a key 15 in its keyhole 14 after insertion of a coin or coins of prescribed denomination into the corresponding coin slot 13, the key being released upon locking of the door. Within a predetermined length of time after this door locking operation, the door may be unlocked merely by inserting the key back into the keyhole and turning the same therein. Upon lapse of the predetermined length of time, however, an additional coin or coins may have to be inserted into the coin slot to unlock the door by the same key.

The above described construction and operation of the rental locker system are conventional and do not constitute part of the present invention. Several preferred embodiments of the invention, well calculated to accomplish the objects already set forth, are illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5.

Referring now to FIG. 2 in order to describe a first preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a rental locker system of the type shown in FIG. 1, a lock 16 is fixedly mounted on the back of a front panel 12 so as to be operated by a key 15 through a key-hole 14 of FIG. 1 (not shown in FIG. 2). The lock 16 has a member 17 on its back which is to be turned by the key 15 to operate a door locking lever (not shown). A bore 18 extends horizontally through the member 17 to receive. one end of a rod 19, which rod is thus moved horizontally back and forth in unison with the motion of the key 15 into and out of the lock 16.

A substantially crank-shaped lever 20 operated by this rod '19 is composed principally of a swingable lower end portion 200 in contact with the projecting end of the rod 19, an intermediate portion 20b revolvably supported by a pair of brackets 21, and a swingable upper end portion 20c in contact with a projecting portion 22a of a shutter 22 swingably supported at its lower end by a pin 23. The shutter 22 keeps a coin slot 13 closed by being energized toward the same by a helical spring 24- having one end thereof connected to the middle portion of the shutter and the other end to the front panel 12. A guide member 25 through which coins inserted into the coin slot 13 are made to pass into a coin selector 26 and a coinoperated lock control mechanism (not shown), both of prior design, is positioned behind the front panel with a spacing therebetween corresponding to the thickness of the shutter 22.

In the above constructed device of this invention, the rod 19 received in the bore 18 of the lock 16 projects farther outwardly therefrom to turn the lever 20 when the key 15 is inserted into the lock 16 through its keyhole 14. The lever 20 thus turned causes the shutter 22 to swing counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, on the pin 23 whereby the coin slot 13 is opened. As the key is succeedingly pulled out of the lock after turning the member 17 tolock the door by the aforesaid door locking lever, the rod 19 retreats with the member 17 to permit the shutter 22 to close the coin slot 13 owing to the tensile force of the spring 24.

FIG. 3 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the invention, in which there is shown a door locking lever 27 to be operated by the key 15 inserted into the lock 16, the door locking lever extending through a slot 28 formed in a side plate 120 substantially integral with .the front panel 12. A first support member 29 in the form of a rectangular piece of plate extends from the side plate 12a on the back of the door locking lever 27, the first support member fixedly carrying a guide 30 having a bore 31 formed horizontally therethrough to slidably receive one end of a rod 19 which is energized forwardly, that is, toward the lock 16, in a resiliently yieldable manner by means not shown in the drawing.

secured to the side plate 12a extends parallelly to the first support member 29. Fixedly carried by this second support member is a switch box 35 having a lever 36 which is actuated upon backward travel of the rod 19 to operate a switch housed within the switch box 35, as hereinafter described in more detail.

A shutter 22 of magnetic material has a forward end portion 22b bent at a right angle for closing a coin slot 13 as required and is swingably supported at 37 by a pin 38 carried by a third support member 39 also extending from the side plate 12a. A helical spring 24 extends between the backward end of the shutter 22 and the side plate 12a to resiliently energize the forward end portion 22b of the shutter 22 in a direction to close the coin slot 13. An electromagnet 40 is secured to the side plate 12a in order to attract the shutter 22 against the pulling force of the spring 24 and thus to open the coin slot 13 whenever energized.

Although not shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the guide member shown in FIG. 2 is provided behind the coin slot 13 to direct the coins inserted therethrough into the coin selector and the coin-operated lock control mechanism in accordance with the prior art. Also as in the FIG. 2 embodiment, such a spacing is provided between the guide member 25 and the front panel 12 as to permit the passage therebetween of the forward end portion 22b of the shutter 22 with substantial clearance.

An electrical circuit for operation of this second embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4. The switch 41 housed within the switch box 35, FIG. 3, is of normally open type, and this switch and the electromagnet 40 are connected in series between a pair of supply terminals 42.

The second embodiment of the invention being constructed substantially as hereinbefore described, the rod 19 slidably received in the bore 31 of the guide 30 is moved backwardly as aforesaid upon insertion of the key 15 into the keyhole 14, thereby causing the lever 36 to swing backwardly to close the switch 41 within the switch box 35. The resultantly energized electromagnet 40 attracts the shutter 22 against the pulling force of the spring 24 to open the coin slot 13.

If now a coin or coins of prescribed denomination are inserted into this coin slot 13, the door 11, FIG. l,can be locked by turning the key'15 of FIG. 1 or 2 in the keyhole 14. As the key, which is then released by the lock 16, is thereafter pulled out of the keyhole, the switch 41 within the switch box 35 becomes open. Since then the electromagnet 40 becomes deenergized, the shutter 22 is swung by the spring 24 to close the coin slot 13 with its forward end portion 22b.

Illustrated in FIG. 5 is a modification of the electrical circuit of FIG. 4, in which another switch 43 is inserted in the series circuit of the switch 41 and the electromagnet 40. This second switch 43 is to be closed upon closure of the door 11, so that the electromagnet 40 is not energized unless the door is closed even when the key 15 is inserted into the keyhole 14. In this manner, the wasteful use of electrical energy and the consumption of the electromagnet 40 are prevented.

I claim:

1. In a rental locker having a door which can be locked by a key and lock mechanism upon insertion of a coin into a slot, said key being released from said lock mechanism when the door has been locked, the improvement comprising a shutter means mounted swingably within said locker, resilient means continuously urging said shutter means in a direction to close said slot, linkage means in operative contact with said shutter means and extending between said shutter means and said lock mechanism, and means operatively associating said lock mechanism with, said linkage means so that when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism said linkage means is operated to maintain said shutter means away from said slot and when said key is pulled out of saidlock mechanism said linkage means is operated to permit said shutter means to close said slot.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, in which said linkage means comprises a rod having one end coupled via said operatively associating means to said lock mechanism so that said rod moves back and forth in unison with the movement of said key into and out of said lock mechanism, and a substantially crankshaped tumable lever having one end thereof in contact with said rod and the other end in contact with said shutter means.

3. In a rental locker having a door which can be locked by a key and lock mechanism upon insertion of a coin into a slot, said key being released from said lock mechanism when the door has been locked, the improvement comprising a shutter means made of magnetic material mounted swingably within said locker, resilient means continuously urging said shutter means in a direction to close said slot, an electomagnet disposed adjacent said shutter means, switch means connected between said electromagnet and anelectrical power supply, and switch-actuating means operatively associating said lock mechanism with said switch means so that when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism said switch means is operated to cause said said shutter means to be maintained away from said slot and when said key is pulled out of said lock mechanism said switch means is operated to permit said shutter means to close said slot.

4. The improvement according to claim 3, in which said switch-actuating means comprises a lever swingably connected to a switch box for operating said switch means housed therein, and a rod mounted reciprocably between said lever and said lock mechanism and energized toward the latter, said rod being pressed toward said lever when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism. 7

5. The improvement according to claim 3, further comprising a second switch connected between the first mentioned switch and said electrical power supply, said second switch being closed upon closure of said door whereby said electromagnet is not energized when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism unless said door is closed. 

1. In a rental locker having a door which can be locked by a key and lock mechanism upon insertion of a coin into a slot, said key being released from said lock mechanism when the door has been locked, the improvement comprising a shutter means mounted swingably within said locker, resilient means continuously urging said shutter means in a direction to close said slot, linkage means in operative contact with said shutter means and extending between said shutter means and said lock mechanism, and means operatively associating said lock mechanism with, said linkage means so that when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism said linkage means is operated to maintain said shutter means away from said slot and when said key is pulled out of said lock mechanism said linkage means is operated to permit said shutter means to close said slot.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1, in which said linkage means comprises a rod having one end coupled via said operatively associating means to said lock mechanism so that said rod moves back and forth in unison with the movement of said key into and out of said lock mechanism, and a substantially crank-shaped turnable lever having one end thereof in contact with said rod and the other end in contact with said shutter means.
 3. In a rental locker having a door which can be locked by a key and lock mechanism upon insertion of a coin into a slot, said key being released from said lock mechanism when the door has been locked, the improvement comprising a shutter means made of magnetic material mounted swingably within said locker, resilient means continuously urging said shutter means in a direction to close said slot, an electomagnet disposed adjacent said shutter means, switch means connected between said electromagnet and an electrical power supply, and switch-actuating means operatively associating said lock mechanism with said switch means so that when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism said switch means is operated to cause said said shutter means to be maintained away from said slot and when said key is pulled out of said lock mechanism said switch means is operated to permit said shutter means to close said slot.
 4. The improvement according to claim 3, in which said switch-actuating means comprises a lever swingably connected to a switch box for operating said switch means housed therein, and a rod mounted reciprocably between said lever and said lock mechanism and energized toward the latter, said rod being pressed toward said lever when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism.
 5. The improvement according to claim 3, further comprising a second switch connected between the first mentioned switch and said electrical power supply, said second switch being closed upon closure of said door whereby said eLectromagnet is not energized when said key is inserted into said lock mechanism unless said door is closed. 